Vite vs Gulp
Same Goal, Different Eras
Section titled “Same Goal, Different Eras”Gulp and Vite both exist for the same reason:
To make front-end development manageable at scale.
They just come from different eras of the web.
The Core Question Each Tool Asks
Section titled “The Core Question Each Tool Asks”Every tool is shaped by the problem it tries to answer.
Gulp asks:
“How do we process files efficiently?”
Vite asks:
“How do we run a fast, modern development environment?”
That difference drives everything else.
Pipelines vs Platforms
Section titled “Pipelines vs Platforms”Gulp
- task-based
- file-in / file-out
- build-first mindset
- explicit pipelines
Vite
- environment-based
- dev server at the center
- dev-first mindset
- implicit workflows
Both work.
Only one scales cleanly today.
Development Experience
Section titled “Development Experience”With Gulp:
- you run tasks
- you wait for output
- you refresh the browser
- you debug the pipeline
With Vite:
- you edit files
- the browser updates instantly
- state is preserved
- the tooling disappears
Speed changes how you think.
Configuration Surface Area
Section titled “Configuration Surface Area”Gulp
- many plugins
- lots of glue code
- custom wiring
- easy to break unintentionally
Vite
- minimal config
- opinionated defaults
- plugins stay isolated
- fewer moving parts
Less surface area means fewer problems.
Build Timing
Section titled “Build Timing”Gulp
- build is constant
- optimization happens all the time
- feedback slows as projects grow
Vite
- build is deferred
- optimization happens once
- development stays fast
Different priorities.
When You’ll Still See Gulp
Section titled “When You’ll Still See Gulp”This isn’t about erasing history.
You’ll still encounter Gulp in:
- legacy projects
- older CMS themes
- inherited codebases
Understanding it helps you read those projects calmly.
Why Vite Won
Section titled “Why Vite Won”Vite didn’t win by adding features.
It won by:
- aligning with modern browsers
- removing unnecessary steps
- separating development from production
The web finally caught up.
The Takeaway
Section titled “The Takeaway”Gulp taught developers how to automate.
Vite removed the need to think about automation at all.
That’s progress.
⏭ Zoom Out
Section titled “⏭ Zoom Out”Now that the contrast is clear, it’s time to step back and lock in the mental models that will help you reason about any tool you meet next.